Latching means



Jan; 15, 1929. 1,699,272

YCH.BEHNKE l LATcHlNG MEANS 4Filed June 29, 1925 vangles to the body part.

Patented Jan. l5, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CORD H; BEHNKE,` 0F MASPETH, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY ,IIMIESNE ,ASSIG-NMlilNTS,` T0 THE XINGSLEY-MILLER GOINUE'ANY,` 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A` CORPORA'IION` 0E ILLINOIS.

LATCHING xmms.

`Application ined :une 29, 1925. serial m.. 40,201.

This invention relates to latch mechanism and is disclosed in connection with the radiator cap of an automobile. It may obviously be employed for securing other relatively movable members in lixed relation, however.

The lprincipal object of the invention 1s to provide a metal latching or fastening memberwhich can be made stronger "and yet of lighter material` than such members heretofore used for like purposes.

Otherobjects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 lis a front elevation of a radiator cap embodying the present invention; v

Figure 2 isa fragmentary sectional side elevation of the same; y

Figure 3 isa section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an end elevation ofthe latching member detached from the rest of the assembly; and y.

Figuren is a plan view of a died blank from which one of the latching members is formed. i

The invention is shown as applied to a radiator capof well known form. The radiator cap comprises a body 1 which may be secured in place upon a radiator neck by means of locking screws (not shown), and a cover or closure 2 hingedly mounted on the body for swinging movement between positions to open and close the filling opening of the radiator neck. At the side of the cap opposite the hinge provision is made of means for securing the cover in closed position. Such means comprises a cam projection 3 on the cover 2 and a cooperative latch device on the cap body 1. This latch device consists of a pair of parallel links 4 pivotally mounted by means of a hinge pin 5 upon a lug 6 on the cap body 1, and a cam fastening member 8 9 pivoted on said links by means of a pivot pin 7 carried by thelinks.

The construction as thus far described Iis Well known but the cam latching member 8-9 disclosed herein is of novel construction. This latching member 8--9 is a stamping and comprises a body part 8 and a handle part 9 bent substantially at right Cam ears l() located at opposite slides of the body part and having circular openings 11 therein are bent inwardly from` the body part at opposite sides thereof, the openings 11 being brought into alignment by such bending. Supporting ears 12having circular openings 13 lare also bent inwardly from the handle part- 9 mto position to align the openings-13 with each other andwvith the openings 11`inthe` cam ears 10 as seen in Figures 2, 3 andfli. The cam ears 10 are positioned to lie-inside thelinks 4 and thesu portingears 12y`are positioned to-"lie outside said links. The

pivot pin 7 is passed through the openings 11 and 13 and through circular openings Iin the links 4 and has its ends upset orienlarged for retaining it in lace. The ears 10 are ormed with flat face portions 14 located ata short distance from the centre of the pivot pin 7, flat faceportions 15 .located yat a greater distancefrom the centre of the pivot pin 7 and curved eccen-` tric cam face portions 16 joining portions 14 and `15.` lrVhen the `cover is swung to closed position, the handle 9 is `swung into line with the links 4 and thelatch may then be moved to position the cam ears 10 over the projection 3. The handle 9 is then swung downward, rotating the cam ears against the projection 3 to the holding position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The rotation of the latching member 8-9 forces the cover downward, causing it to compress a rubber packing ring positioned in a seat of the body 1.

The provision of the supporting ears 12 is an important feature of the present `invention. As cam latching members of the type disclosed have been constructed heretofore the force exerted upon the handle in pressing the latching member to fastening position has been borne and transmitted entirely by the shoulder formed at the junction of the body and handle portions. This shoulder was the Weakest part of the member, due to the strain imposed by bending it in the course of manufacture. This shoulder if unsup orted is required to be strong because it is ocated at a very short distance from the fulcrum of the latching member. It has been necessary, therefore, to `form such latching members of heavy metal in order to preventrupturing at the shoulder under the strain of operation. V

By providing supporting ears 12 in the present construction the shoulder 19 is reinforced and substantially relieved of bending strain. This enables.y the latchingmember 6 to be made. stronger and yet of thinner stock` than similar members heretofore employed. It is a further point that the thin cam ears 10 are substantially spaced fromA one another they being preferably spacedfas far apart as the links f1 permit. This Spacing tends to prevent localization of the strain transmitted to the shoulder 19 and to reduce twisting of the latching member Which might. result from slight variations in the manufacture of the, same. This Guarding against twisting strains further recuces the likelihood of rupturing the shoulder 19.

Variations` may be resorted to Within the scope o iji` the invention and parts of the im.- provement-s may be used Without others,

What- I claimv is:

1. In a latching device a metal latching.

member comprising a handle portion, a body7 portion, ears bent in from said handle portion, cam means bent in from said body portion, said ears and said cam means having aligned openings, and a pin passed through said openings and affording a pivotal support for the latchingmember.

2. The combination with tivo relatively movable elements of means for latching them together against relative movement, comprising a yoke carried by one of said elements, a projecting member on the other of said elements embraced by the yoke, and a metal latching member pivoted on the yoke and comprising a bodyportion, a handle portion projecting angularly therefrom, cam means bent in from the body portion and supporting ears bent in `from the handle por tion the cam means and supporting ears having aligned openingsl and means passed through said openings for connectingv the latching member. to the yoke.

3. In" alradiator cap, the combination Wit-h a closure element and a supporting element, on which said closure element is hinged, of a projection on one of said elements, and a latch on the other of said elements cooper* tive with the projection, said latch compris ing apivoted yolre ineluding a pivot pin and a metal latching member, the latching member comprising inbent cam means and inbent supporting ears both mounted on the pivot 4. The` combination with tivo relatively movable elements, of means for latching them` together against relative movement, comprising a projecting member on one of s aid elements, a cooperating latching member carried by the other element, and a pin pivotally supporting said latching member, said latching member being a stamping and comprising cam ears bent inwardly and supported on said pin.` said cam ears being substantially spaced from one another to assure Wide and even distribution of the strain upon the latching member.

In testimony Whereot| I have affixed by signature to this specification.

CORD H. BEHNKE. 

